People around the world have been smoking marijuana for thousands of years while also using the hemp plant for everything from fabric and rope to ethanol fuel. Unfortunately, somewhere along the way, a man with a bit of power and enough determination decided pot was wicked, evil and narcotic. He moved mountains to make it illegal worldwide. In the U.S., the struggle continues to this day to overcome the lies and misconceptions about marijuana that the government spent billions to spread. Between 1937 and 1947, the government spent $220 million on the war against drugs. Between 1948 and 1963, the cost of this "war" on marijuana alone escalated to $1.5 billion. From 1964 to 1969 the government spent $9 billion on the war against marijuana, a price tag that continues to rise. First Fabric Known to Man The hemp plant, also called cannabis or marijuana, has been used around the world for thousands of years. Sometime around 7000 - 8000 BCE, the first fabric is believed to have been woven from dried hemp weed. Cannabis Seeds Used as Food Around 6000 BCE hemp seeds were used as food in China. By 2727 BCE, the Chinese documented the use of cannabis as a medication to treat a variety of health problems. They later grew the plant on a large scale for food and fiber. Cannabis is Cultivated and Left as an Offering In 1500 BCE Scythians started to cultivate cannabis for weaving cloth. By 700 - 300 BCE the status of the plant had been elevated among Scythian tribes and cannabis seeds were left as offering in royal tombs. "Sacred Grass" Named One of Five Sacred Plants in India Cannabis is called "Sacred Grass" in the Hindu sacred text Arthava-Veda and named one of the five sacred plants of India. It was used as an offering to Shiva and also as a medication in India from 1200 - 800 BCE. Hemp Use Spreads Throughout Europe The hemp plant was introduced into Northern Europe by the Scythians around 500 BCE Over the next 400 years it spread throughout the subcontinent. Cannabis Mentioned in the Jewish Talmud Sometime around 500 - 600 CE, there was a mention of the euphoric properties on cannabis in the Jewish Talmud. Smoking Cannabis Becomes Popular in the Middle East Between 900 -1000 the use of cannabis spread throughout the Arab world. By the early 1200s, smoking marijuana had become very popular in the region. It was popular among Muslims, who are not permitted to drink alcohol. Marijuana Comes to the New World In 1492, Christopher Columbus brought Cannibis Sativa to America. Farmers in America Required to Grow Hemp From 1000 to 1500, the use of marijuana spread further. The French and British grew hemp in the colonies of Port Royal, Virginia and Plymouth. In 1619 a law was passed in Jamestown, Virginia Colony, which required farmers to grow hemp. Marijuana also became a major trade item between Central and South Asia during this time. Presidential Marijuana At Mount Vernon, George Washington grew hemp as his primary crop in 1797. Thomas Jefferson grew hemp as a secondary crop at Monticello. Napoleon Bans Hemp In 1798, Napoleon declared a total prohibition of hemp after realizing much of the Egyptian lower class were habitual smokers of marijuana. Medical Cannabis Sold in the U.S. In 1840, medicines with a cannabis base were available in U.S. pharmacies. Hashish was available in Persian pharmacies. U.S. Receives the Gift of Marijuana In 1876, the Sultan of Turkey gave marijuana to the United States as a gift. By 1880, Turkish smoking parlors were opened all over the northeastern U.S. Food and Drug Administration Formed in the U.S. In 1906, the Pure Food and Drug Act was passed in the U.S. and the Food and Drug Administration was formed. This was the first time drugs had any government oversight. Ford's Hempmobile In 1908, Henry Ford made his first Model T with hemp plastic. The car was fueled with hemp ethanol. Cannabis Prohibition Begins in the U.S. California passed the first state marijuana law in 1913, but it was largely overlooked because it specifically addressed "preparations of hemp, or loco weed." Other state anti-marijuana law were passed in Utah in 1915, in Texas in 1919, Louisiana in 1924 and New York in 1927. Cannabis Prohibition in Britain In 1928, the recreational use of marijuana was banned in Britain. Marijuana Ordinance Passed in El Paso Marijuana came into the southwestern United States in the early 1900s with Mexican migrants who entered the country looking for work. Laborers enjoyed smoking marijuana after hard days in the fields. The local European Whites believed that marijuana gave the Mexicans "superhuman strength" and turned them into killers. In 1914 in El Paso, some white men were allegedly attacked by a Mexican man who had "gone crazy" on supposedly "killer weed." Following the incident, the El Paso City Council passed an ordinance banning possession of marijuana. The law was more about controlling the local Mexican populace than controlling marijuana, as the predominantly white constituency did not like the Mexicans or their customs. Source: Brainz.org & A little of my own info.
DEA is Born Nixon did not give up, and pushed forward with his war against marijuana. In 1972, all of the government's existing drug agencies were combined into one super-powerful agency, the Drug Enforcement Agency. The DEA was given the authority to enter homes without knocking, use wiretaps and gather intelligence on anyone. Marijuana Activism In the 1970s, smoking marijuana became popular among middle-class adults, and activists revamped the movement for decriminalization. The Reagan Administration's War on Drugs In the 1980s, the Reagan administration launched its own war on drugs. An average of one person every 38 seconds was arrested for violating marijuana laws. Judge Francis Law Recommends Reclassifying Marijuana as a Prescription Drug Judge Francis Law, a DEA administrative law judge, held hearings on the medical benefits of marijuana. He found that marijuana has a clearly established medical use and recommended that it be reclassified as a prescription drug. However, no action was taken to reclassify marijuana based on Law's findings. First U.S. Medical Marijuana Law Passed Although Canada became the first country in the world to legalize medical marijuana in 2003, the U.S. Federal Government has been resistant to changing marijuana laws. California passed Proposition 215, the first U.S. medical marijuana law, in 1996. Today Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington have passed medical marijuana laws. Several other states are also considering legalizing medical marijuana. U.S. Supreme Court Declines to Hear Medical Marijuana Case On May, 18, 2009, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear a dispute over California's medical marijuana law. Opponents of California's Compassionate Use Act argue that the law undermines federal drug laws. Last year, a California appeals court ruled that the state's medical marijuana law does not supersede federal drug laws. The Fight for Reform and Medical Marijuana Continues Currently marijuana activists are working for marijuana reform and fighting for medical marijuana laws. The U.S. National Institute of Health spent $1 million on medical research to investigate the therapeutic effects of synthetic chemicals that mimic the effects of smoking marijuana. At Temple University, research is also being done on synthetic marijuana. Meanwhile, the U.S. government, which supposedly has no horse in the medical marijuana race, has patented medical marijuana. US Patent 6630507 was assigned to the United States of America, as represented by the Department of Health and Human services on October 7, 2003 and protects "Cannabinoids as antioxidants and neuroprotectants."